Bowden will coach through bowl game

December 1, 2009

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A person familiar with the decision says Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will retire after the Seminoles play in a bowl game.

Bowden will retire as the second winningest coach in major-college football behind Penn State's Joe Paterno. The 80-year-old Bowden has won 388 games in 44 seasons as a head coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had yet to be made.

Bowden won two national titles with Florida State in the 1990s. Among his top achievements was a string of 14 straight seasons starting from 1987-2000 when the Seminoles won at least 10 games and finished ranked in the top five of the AP poll.

Bowden says in a news release he looks forward "to enjoying these next few weeks as the head football coach."